Carbon question!

[rubertoe93]

Hey guys, I have some atm activated carbon, currently in my filter Socks,
is it best in there or better in a reactor?

 

[P-Dub]

It's fine there. Yes, it would be better in a reactor as less particulate will clog it, assuming your filter sock is the first thing after your overflow in your sump....

 

[homer1475]

I would also worry about the water pressure from the overflow grinding the carbon to dust, Which has been shown to cause HLLE. While many people have done it, you do not want carbon grinding against itself, causing carbon dust.

BRS did a video years ago about how effective carbon was in a reactor to just using passively like you want to do.

 

[Reefs and Geeks]

Be careful, having it in your filter sock can cause it to tumble aggressively and turn itself into a powder. I always used to keep mine in a mesh bag in between my baffels in my sump. I've since upgraded to a reactor. The reactor does seem to do a better job, but both are fine.

 

[rubertoe93]

Yeah it’s the first compartment when leaving the tank, it’s not that much flow coming through it, I have a reactor that was what I was thinking about , rather than it being sat there

 

[P-Dub]

Yeah it’s the first compartment when leaving the tank, it’s not that much flow coming through it, I have a reactor that was what I was thinking about , rather than it being sat there

If you have one, use it for sure.

 

[Silent]

Of course a reactor is more efficient but if you want it in a filter sock you can put a small piece of live rock or something to hold the carbon down so it wont tumble.

 

[rubertoe93]

Thanks guys looks like my question has been answered! both is okay, but I had a reactor sat about doing nowt so may aswell use it! I’ll bare in mind the lr trick just in case I need to use the reactor for something else! thanks for your help guys

 

[John08007]

I found that when I had it in a reactor it was harder to swap out-so it sat in there for a long time. In a mesh bag in my sump was simple to dump and add new, this meant I was more likely to not forget about it.

 

[vetteguy53081]

In the path of running water is best location

 

[rubertoe93]

I found that when I had it in a reactor it was harder to swap out-so it sat in there for a long time. In a mesh bag in my sump was simple to dump and add new, this meant I was more likely to not forget about it.

Yeah I see what you mean, I’m getting a day to day Callander to refer to when I add/need to take away